A physical resource consuming apparatus, non-limiting examples of which include a refrigerator, a laundry treating appliance, a dishwasher and a beverage dispenser, is an apparatus that consumes at least a portion of a physical resource in the course of performing a cycle of operation. Non-limiting examples of a physical resource include water, a treating chemistry, a fragrance, a flavoring. The physical resource consuming apparatus may have a controller that implements a number of pre-programmed cycles of operation. Information related to one or more properties of the physical resource may be used by the physical resource consuming apparatus in determining how to use a physical resource during one of the pre-programmed cycles of information. The information may be communicated by a user to the physical resource consuming apparatus manually or, alternatively, the information may be determined automatically by the physical resource consuming apparatus.